Display rack



M. FEDERMAN Jan. 2d, 1.97.0

DI SPLAY RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1967 FIGLI.

3m mw F INVENTOR MURRAY FEDERMAN M. FEDERMAN DISPLAY RACK Jan. 20, 19702 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l5, 1967 FIGS.

FIG.4.

INVENTOR MUIRAY FEDERMAN Y Mhmwkmm HIS ATTORNEYS i United States PatentO 3,490,598 DISPLAY RACK Murray Federman, Clifton, NJ., assignor toGlamorene Products Corporation, Clifton, NJ., a corporation of DelawareFiled Oct. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 675,206 Int'. CL'EGSIj 73700; A47f 5/00,5/14 U.s. cl. 211-4 2 claims ABSTRACT on THE DISCLOSURE The presentinvention relates to improvements in display devices and particularly tometal display racks for supporting kits or packages of articles such asupholstery cleaning equipment, power tool equipment and the like andmore particularly to devices for retaining and locking the kits orpackages in the racks.

Various types of kits of equipment for various purposes are commonlydisplayed in display cases or on shelves and in some instances on racksso that they are readily available for examination. However, unless someprotective means is provided for retaining the articles securely intheir displayed positions, they can be dislodged and dropped, damaged orpilfered with consequent loss to the dealer. Locking devices have beenprovided heretofore on display racks as disclosed generally in my U.S.Patent No. 3,289,851 dated Dec. 6, 1966 for retaining oor polishing andother appliances in positions to display them and at the same timeprevent them from being taken without a proper authorization. Articleswhich come, however, in covered containers such as trays with plasticcovers thereon through which the contents of the trays can be viewedpresent a more diiicult problem in locking them in the display rack forin most instances they cannot be locked to the rack without obscuringthe view of the articles in the containers.

In accordance with the present invention, a display rack is provided bymeans of which kits of various articles such as upholstery cleaningequipment, power tools and the like can be displayed for readyinspection by a prospective purchaser, and at the same time are securelylocked in position so that they cannot be dislodged or pilfered withoutrelease of the locking device by authorized personnel More particularly,in accordance with the present in vention, the display rack includes aplurality f shelves in a relatively open work frame, each shelf beingadapted to receive an article being displayed and having associated armswhich can be moved up and down to engage in recesses in the containerfor the kit to lock the container to the shelf so that it and itscontents cannot be removed. The arms are mounted on a frame which can beraised to enable the kit to be removed for closer inspection by or forsale to a customer. In this Way, the kits can be displayed in anattractive fashion and at the same time are retained in the display rackuntil released by an authorized person.

For better understanding of the present invention, reference may be hadto the accompanying drawings in which FIG. l is a front elevational viewof a display rack ernbodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view thereof.

Illustrative of the present invention, a typical display rack includes apair of said frame members and 11 formed of tubular metal such as forexample steel or aluminum tubing or the like having a 4straight back leg1,2, a flat top 13 connected by means of curved portions 14 and 15 tothe back leg 12 and front leg 1.6, respectively. The shape of the sideframesl can be varied but `the front leg 16, as shown, has an upperportion converging toward the back leg and a lower portion 17 whichdiverges away from the back leg 12 for stability.

The two frame elements are connected by means of a series of cross rods18, 19, 20 and 21 as shown in FIG. 4 and the front legs may also beconnected to the back legs 12 by means of suitable cross braces 22, 23,24,25 and 26. The cross braces 24 and 25 for ornamental purposes may bea single rod bent into U-shape and having its rounded base 27 projectingbeyond the front leg element of each frame. i

Spanning the space between the two side frames 10 and 11 near the bottomthereof isV a shelf 28 which may be formed of a series of parallel rodsor wires 29' Welded to the back cross rod 21 and a front cross rod 30.Transverse stiifening rods 31 and 32 are welded to the rods 29 and haveupwardly extending and reversely bent end portions 33 thereon whichserve to position a kit K against sideways sliding movement. l i

A second shelf 34 of the same kind may be affixed to the frame membersin the same way or several more of such shelves may be provided atspaced intervals as may be desired. Another horizontal shelf 35 isprovided near the top of the side frames to support other articles suchas bottles, cans and the like.

Between the shelves 34 and 35 is a shelf 36 which can be inclined withrespect to the horizontal, this shelf also being formed of a series ofparallel rods 37 connected at their forward end to a cross rod 38 havinghooks 39 and 40 at its opposite ends for engaging the cross bracing rods23 in the side frames. An additional bracing rod 41 may be provided atthe front ends of the rods 37. The rear ends of the two outermost rods37 of the shelf 36 are formed as hooks 42 and 43 which engage a rod 44welded to a pair of vertical rods 45 and 46 extending upwardly betweenthe side frame elements and welded or otherwise secured to the rods 18,19, 20 and 21. In this way, the shelf is supported in a tilted positionbut can be shifted to a horizontal position by engaging the hooks 42 and43 with the cross rod 19. Suitable hook shaped members 47 and 48 may beformed on transverse members of the shelf 36 to serve as lateral stopsfor the kits.

Any of the other shelves of the rack may be arranged like the shelf 35for movement between horizontal and tilted positions, if desired.

In accordance with the present invention a locking device is provided onthe display rack to prevent the unauthorized removal of kits of toolsand the like which are supported by the shelves. By way of example of atypical kit, it includes a tray T for receiving, for example, a powerunit, brushes and other accessories, the tray having a carrying handleH, and a transparent cover C provided with a transverse groove C ornotches for receiving the retaining elements to be describedhereinafter. As best shown in FIG. 4, the retaining means includes aladderlike sliding member 50 having a pair of upright rods 51 and 52which are suitably connected by rod-like cross bars S3, at intervalsalong the lengths of the rods 51 and 52. The frame 50 is connected forvertical sliding movement relative to and between the vertical rods 45and 46 on the frame either by forming eyes on the cross bars 53 or bymeans of elements clamped to the frame 50 and slidably engaging thevertical rods 45 and 46. Spaced at intervals along the frame 50 aregenerally C-shaped clamping members 54, 55 and 56, each corresponding toone of the shelves and having arms which extend outwardly over the kitsK and having inwardly extending end portions which engage in the grooveC in the cover of each kit to hold the kits on their respective shelvesand the covers C on the trays T. In order to retain the frame 50 in aposition holding the kits against removal, the frame is provided with across bar 57 having an eye 58 at its end which can be brought intoalignment with and locked by means of a padlock to an eye 60 on asimilar cross bar 59 welded to the rods 45 and 46. The frame 50 can beraised to enable all of the kits on the shelves to be released forremoval and may be retained in the upper position by means of downwardlyextending shaft 61 having a ball 62 on its end which engages in aresilient socket 63 mounted on a cross member 64 at the upper end of theframe 50. The gripping action of the socket is suicient to retain theframe until it is pushed down to lock the kits on the shelves.

If desired, other reinforcements for the frame may be provided wherenecessary to support heavy articles or kits and the size and dimensionsof the display rack can be modified as the purpose demands. The shelvesand side frames and connecting rods may be plated with bright metal suchas chromium or painted or otherwise treated as may be desired andadvertising displays may also be connected to the fronts of the shelvesand/or to the top of the rack as may be required or desirable.

I claim:

1. A display rack comprising a frame having a pair of substantiallyvertical side frame elements, means connecting and retaining said frameelements in spaced-apart relation and a plurality of vertically-spacedshelves between and supported by said frame elements for supportingcontainers thereon, at least one of said shelves inclined to thehorizontal to support said container in an inclined position; a slidingmember mounted for substantially vertical movement on said frame, atleast one clamping member iixed to said sliding member and movabletherewith, said clamping member extending between said frame members andoverlying and substantially parallel with at least one of said shelves,said clamping member being movable downwardly with said sliding memberto a rst position engaging and retaining a container on said one shelfand upwardly to a second position with' said sliding member to releasesaid container from said shelf.

2. A display rack comprising a frame having a pair of substantiallyvertical side frame elements, means connecting and retaining said frameelements in spacedapart relation and a plurality of vertically-spacedshelves between and supported bysaid frame elements for supportingcontainers thereon; a sliding member mounted for substantially verticalmovement on said frame, at least one clamping member xed to said slidingmember and movable therewith, said clamping member extending betweensaid frame members and overlying at least one of said shelves, saidclamping member being movable downwardly with said sliding member to aiirst position engaging and retaining a container on said one shelf andupwardly to a second position with said sliding member to release saidcontainer from said shelf, and means for releasably retaining saidsliding member in said second position comprising a `ball and aresilient socket on said frame and said sliding member is engagable withsaid resilient socket when said sliding member is in said secondposition.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,124 10/1897 Brown 211-4 X2,041,749 5/1936 Fischer 2li-8 2,926,788 3/1960 Jacobson 2ll-4 3,289,85112/1966 Federman 211--4 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl.X.R.

